Payroll Lead

Workman LLP

Payroll Lead managing the payroll operations for over 1000 employees across two entities. Ensuring compliance with payroll legislation and driving payroll process improvements.

Posted 7/7/2026full-timeGuildford • 🇬🇧 United KingdomSeniorWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

C++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Manage and oversee the end-to-end payroll operations for over 1000 employees across two entities.
Lead and manage the monthly payroll process for all employees.
Review and validate payroll data, including salaries, bonuses, overtime, allowances, and deductions.
Ensure appropriate payroll controls and approvals are in place.
Reconcile payroll accounts, benefits, tax deductions, and pension contributions.
Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee queries.
Coordinate with Finance regarding payroll journals and month-end reporting.
Ensure compliance with employment laws, tax regulations, pension requirements, and statutory deductions.
Maintain employee payroll records in accordance with data protection regulations.
Coach and support the Payroll and Benefits Administrator, including prioritising workload and reviewing output across expenses and benefits administration.
Oversee the Payroll and Benefits Admin’s expense claim checks, ensuring compliance with internal policy criteria.
Lead payroll-related projects and initiatives, including system upgrades, process improvements and new payroll software implementation.
Monitor relevant shared inboxes and ensure queries are resolved promptly.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Proven experience overseeing the end-to-end payroll process and the administration that accompanies it.
CIPP, CPP or equivalent is preferred.
Experience supervising or coaching junior team members is beneficial.
Experience posting journals onto Opera or similar accounting software is beneficial.
Experience using SAP Concur is preferable but not essential.
Competent Microsoft Excel user, including pivot tables and VLOOKUP.
Experience working with large volumes of data is crucial.
A proactive, practical and positive approach to work is required.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid working to offer you a great work life balance, with a minimum of three days in the office.
Core working hours to allow for added flexibility and helps ease your commute to the office.
Discretionary annual bonus and salary reviews.
Healthcare, life insurance & wellness programme
Your birthday off and an extra day between Christmas and New Year.
Lifestyle benefits to suit you: gym membership, cycle to work, buy and sell holiday to name just a few.
Social events throughout the year including a firm wide Christmas party!
Generous referral bonus.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Payroll Process OversightData ValidationPayroll ReconciliationJournal PostingData Management

Soft Skills

Proactive ApproachPositive AttitudeConfidentiality

Certifications

CIPPCPP